Log on and learn

North Carolina school districts are plagued with recession-related budget problems. One tactic being used to keep up academic momentum, especially in poorer, rural districts, is online instruction. It's a cost-efficient way to broaden high schools' course offerings, even during a time when pennies are being pinched.

But the state's "Virtual Public School" program could itself wind up on the chopping block. That would be penny-wise and pound-foolish.

The online courses are popular. As The N&O recently reported, enrollment this fall tops 15,000 students, almost double the number from last spring. And for the spring semester next year, 20,000 students are expected to sign up. Many take advantage of advanced and specialized courses not typically available in the state's smaller communities -- instruction in Chinese, for instance.

The General Assembly has bankrolled the program, paying teachers a per-student fee. But the money doesn't cover the enrollment surge, and legislators have told the State Board of Education to come up with another funding plan. Absent such a plan, the money will be cut off by Dec. 15. Surely the board won't let a program as useful as this one become another budget casualty.